Chimney Removal

Location: Chernobyl - Ukraine
Equipment used: CC 8800-1

Sarens participated in
the New Safe Confinement Project at the Chernobyl
Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukraine. The purpose
of the project is to fully contain the damaged
nuclear reactor building and prevent the reactor
complex from leaking further radioactive
material into the environment for the next 100
years. Unit 4 of the reactor building will be
encased in a massive arched steel structure. Before this could happen, the old chimney had to be removed with the help of Sarens' CC8800-1 in its almost full configuration. After the
stabilization of each of the 7 tube parts, the
chimney could be removed by sections, each
weighing approximately 55t. Any miscalculations
could cause a cloud of radioactive dust, but
this challenging operation was brought to a
successful end. The complete old chimney was
removed safely.